India successfully test-fires indigenous supersonic interceptor missile off Odisha coast

Balasore: India on Thursday successfully test-fired its indigenously developed Advanced Air Defence (AAD) supersonic interceptor missile, capable of destroying any incoming ballistic missile at low altitudes, from a test range in Odisha. This was the third supersonic interceptor test carried out this year in which an incoming ballistic missile target was successfully intercepted, within a 30-kilometre altitude of the earth’s atmosphere by an interceptor. “It was a direct hit and grand success,” defence sources said after the test launch. [caption id=“attachment_2522486” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The earlier two tests were conducted on 1 March and 11 February 11, as part of efforts to have a full-fledged multi-layer Ballistic Missile Defence system. “Today’s test was conducted to validate various parameters of the interceptor in flight mode and it was all success,” the sources said. The target missile – a Prithvi missile – was launched from launch complex three of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur near. After getting signals by tracking radars, the interceptor AAD missile, positioned at Abdul Kalam Island – previously known as Wheeler Island – in the Bay of Bengal, roared through its trajectory to destroy the hostile target missile in mid-air in an endo-atmospheric altitude, defence sources said. The interceptor is a 7.5-meter long single stage solid rocket propelled guided missile equipped with a navigation system, a hi-tech computer and an electro-mechanical activator, the sources said. The state-of-the-art interceptor missile has its own mobile launcher, a secure data link for interception, independent tracking and homing capabilities and sophisticated radars.